Collapsible, combined backrest and armrest for a patient or invalid



Sept. 26, 1967 M. NEMSER COLLAPSIBLE, COMBINED BACKREST AND ARMREST FOR A PATIENT OR INVALID 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed OCt. 7. 1965 INVENTOR '/Vemser Sept. 26, 1967 M. NEMSER 3,343,185

COLLAPSIBLE, COMBINED BACKREST AND ARMREST FOR A PATIENT OR INVALID Filed Oct. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY @MW/7 United States Patent O 3,343,185 CLLAPSIBLE, COMBINED BACKREST AND ARM- RES'I EUR A PATIENT 0R INVALID Marie Nemser, 905 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. 10025 Filed Oct. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 493,776 1 Claim. (Cl. 5-327) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A combined backrest and armrest for use on top of a bed, consisting of a frame constituted by a pair of parallel bars adapted to be hooked under one side of the bed.

An upright backrest constituted by an inverted U-shaped y This invention relates to a simple collapsible combined backrest and armrest for a patient or invalid when sitting on the side of a bed to support his spine and back in comfort and security.

The combined backrest and armrest provides a stable reliable device as the armrests are swivelly mounted and hold the mattress of the bed behind the patient securely at all sides, particularly when pressure is exerted against the device by leaning heavily backwards.

An important object of the invention is to provide a combined backrest and armrest of this type that enables a chronic invalid whose activity is limited to lying in bed or sitting in a wheel chair to have another place to sit, to eat at, to look at television, to read and the like. For the postoperative patient who must permit his legs to hang over the side of the bed, the device provides adequate spine support and because the patient need not be lifted into any seat, there is no danger of injury to areas that are vulnerable. Furthermore, all patients who usually sit at the side of the bed, such as those suffering with Parkinson disease, arthritis, muscular dystrophy, spastic muscular conditions and the like, who find getting up from chairs very diiiicult, can now relax comfortably for hours on their bed side. For elderly incapacitated people who often I find pulling themselves up from a chair impossible, but pulling themselves up by means of a post at the top of a bed not only possible but to some the only means to get up at all unassisted, the improved backrest and armrest combination is invaluable.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined backrest and armrest for supporting a patient or invalid in upright sitting position on the side of a bed that is placed in operative position by bringing it forward from behind the patient and placing it or encircling it around the patient without the necessity of raising or disturbing the patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined backrest and armrest that is -collapsible so as to assume a compact structure in storage, taking up very little storage room.

A further object of the invention according to a modiiication thereof is to provide a combined backrest and armrest that is adjustably secured across the bed and that is provided with a cushion against the backrest.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combined backrest and armrest made in accordance with one form of the invention shown in use on the side of a bed by a patient.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the joint between the armrest and backrest.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the device in co1- lapsed condition.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a combined backrest and armrest made in accordance with a modified form of the invention, in extended Iposition.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through the middle of the cushion.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fragment of the cushion.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectionalk View taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a view of a part of a modified form of cushion.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1, a combined 'backrest and arm rest 10 embodying one form of the invention is illustrated applied to a bed 12 supporting the body of a patient 14 in upright sitting position on the side of the bed with his legs hanging over the side of the bed. The improved device consists of a backrest 16, arm rests 18, 18 and a frame 20 formed of aluminum tubular elements for attaching the backrest and arm rests to the bed and for supporting the backrest and arm rests in upright position on the bed.

The frame 20 consists of a pair of elongated aluminum tubular horizontal bars 22, 22 joined together intermediate the ends thereof 'by a cross aluminum tubular bar 24. Vertically extending shorter aluminum tubular bars 26, 26 terminating in inwardly extending bent ends 28, 28 are swivelly joined to the outer ends of the horizontal bars 22, 22. The bent ends 28, 28 are disposed underneath bars 22, 22 and provide hooked ends for insertion under the side 30 of the bed 12 thereby hooking the frame 20 t0 one side of the bed. The aluminum bars are approximately 1/2 or 3A inches in diameter. The hooked ends 28, 28 may .be covered with rubber sleeves 32, 32 to prevent damage to the bed. The bars 22 and 26 hold the mattress behind the patient securely at all times, particularly when pressure is exerted against it by leaning heavily backwards.

The lbackrest 16 comprises an inverted U-shaped aluminum tubular bar 34 joined at the bottom ends thereof by an aluminum .tubular crossbar 36, thereby forming a rec- -tangular frame 38. The frame supports criss-crossed saran tapes 40, running horizontally and vertically and looped over the bar as seen in FIG. 1, forming a exible backing poriton 42 for the backrest. The inner ends of the side bars 22, 22 of the frame 20 as seen in FIG. 1 are pivotally connected to extensions 44 on the bottom ends of the side legs A46 of the inverted U-shaped bar 34 by means 0f U- shaped metal straps 48 and pivot pins 50` passing through the straps 48 and through the inner ends of the bars 22, 22. The straps are pivotally secured to the bottom ends of the side legs 46 of the bar 34 of the backrest by pivot pins 52. Pairs of hinge bars 54 and 56 are provided between the backrest 16 and side bars 22, 22 for holding the backrest in upright position, the bars of each pair being pivoted to each other by a pivot pin 58 passing through overlapped adjacent ends of each other, and each pair of bars.

The backrest 16 is approximately 20" wide, 151/2 high, the armrests are 4" high and 10l wide. The back bars 22 and 16 long, the swivel bars 26 are 51/2 wide and the bent ends 28 are about 8 long, fitting under the mattress. The reason for these approximate dimensions is that hospital beds are usually 36 wide, and the mattresses range from 4 to 51/2. A person sitting on the side of the bed requires 20 of sitting room (which includes a thin pillow), therefore the remaining space to the other side of the bed is 16". The width of a suitable backrest and arm rest device likewise should be 20, therefore the essential measurements are width of device 20", length of space on bed up to device 20, back of device to the other side`of bed 16".

When closing or collapsing the combined backrest and arm rest device, the arm rests18 are swung `to the front of the backrest 16, the backrest 16 is then released toward the backbars 22, the bars 26 are then turned towards each other whereby the entire structure is collapsed to flat condition as shown in FIG. 4.

In extending the device to operative position, in use, the arm rests `18 are tirst opened, the backrest 16 is then raised up to a right angle position, the swivelled bars 26 are adjusted and pushed forward on the bed behind the patient who is already sitting on the side of the bed awaiting the positioning of the device behind him.

The combined backrest and arm rest device is simple in operation, opening to extended position and collapsing to closed position in seconds, into an area 24 by 20" by 41/2. The device weighs about 5 pounds lthereby being easily carried and stored. The hooked end of the frame 20 will iit any sized mattress as the bars 26 rotate toward the center and at some point will engage and fit the mattress and hold the mattress securely. The weight of the mattress with the bar framing it, plus the rubber sleeves on the bars, which rest on the spring of'the bed, plus the rigidity of the entire construction keeps the combined` backrest and arm rest device securely in place, being pivotally connected to the backrest 16 and side bars 22, 22 by pivot pins 60 and 62, respectively. Lateral lugs 64 on the edges of the bars 54 overlapping the edge of the adjacent bars 56 prevent buckling of the bars when extended.

The arm rests 18, 18 each comprises an inverted U- shaped aluminum tubular bar 66, one leg thereof, the leg 68, for instance, being swivelly `connected to the adjacent leg 46 of the inverted U-shaped bar 34 of the backrest by means of a hinge device 70 operatively connected to both legs 46 and 68. The other leg 72 of the arm rest 18 is provided with a rubber knob 74 on its free end to prevent damage to the bed.

Referring now to the equipment shown in FIGS. to 10, inclusiveembodying a modified form of the invention, herein the backrest 16 is supported in upright position by turnbuckle devices 76 in place of the hinged bars 54 and 56 whereby 1the backrest may beadjusted to any angle relative to the vertical. In this form of the invention, the front of the backrest .16 is covered by a removable pillow type cushion 78 having a body of cushion material 80 with a fabric cover 82 enclosed in a fabric envelope 84 formed with an open pocket 86 adapted to be positioned over the top of the backrest for supporting the cushion in upright position against the front of the backrest as seen in FIG. 5.

The frame is extensible so as to tit across beds of various widths. For this purpose, the vertical bar 26 has a top horizontal portion 88 telescoped inside the outer end of the bar 22'. The horizontal portion 88 is formed with a series of aligned holes 90 to receive a pin 92 carried by a spring nger 94 on the bar 22 adjacent its end. The pin 92 is adapted to engage in any one of the holes 90 for holding the frame at the desired length.

The inverted U-shaped armrests 18' are each formed with a sectional bight portion 96 and with an intermediate leg 98 secured to the bight portion by a rivet 100 passing through a bent end 102 on the leg and through l the adjacent portion of the bight portion. A rubber knob 104 is mounted on the free end of the leg 98.

The legs 68of the armrests are pivotally mounted on the upright ends 106` of elbows 108 fixed on the ends of extensions 110 on the adjacent horizontal bars 22. By reason of this construction the Vbight portion of the armrest carrying intermediate leg 98 is adapted to be swung laterally against the cushion 78, and the bight portion carrying the leg 72 is adapted to be swung in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5 in the plane of the bight portion carrying leg 98 to collapsed condition against the cushion 78.

In this form of the invention, the frame 20 extendsy across the width of the bed with the bent ends 28 of the vertical bars 26 hooked underneath the bed at one side and the legs-72 of the armrests 18' extending over the other side of the bed in frictional engagement therewith, the intermediate legs 98 resting on the bed. By moving the pins 92, the frame 20 may be shortened or lengthened. By turning the turnbuckles 76, the backrest 16 may be moved up and down to adjust the inclination thereof.

In FIG. 11, modified forms of backrest 16` and cushion 78 are shown. Herein the backrest 16 is provided with a pair of `additional vertically disposed tapes 112 loosely encircling the body thereof for removably holding the pillow type cushion 78". The backrest is provided with opposed safety straps 114 for strapping the patient against falling out of the bed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

A combined backrest and armrest device for patients, in combination, a bed, an aluminum frame extending partly across the bed, from one side thereof, a backrest supported in upright position on the inner end of said frame, armrests swivelly secured at one end to the backrest and supported at the other end on the bed when the device is erected, the backrest consisting of a rectangular aluminum inverted U-shaped tubular frame with fabric tapes criss-crossing the frame, the first-named frame including a pair of aluminum tubular parallel bars with hooked ends adapted to engage under said one side, the other ends of the tubular parallel bars being pivotally connected to the 'bottom of the backrest, said connection including U-shaped straps pivotally secured to the backrest and pivotally secured to the other ends of the tubular bars, the armrests consituted by inverted U-shaped aluminum tubular bars, extending from the backrest in the direction of the other side of the bed, one of the legs of the U-shaped bars being swivelly connected to one end of the backrest whereby the armrests are adapted to be swung against the backrest in collapsed condition.

References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 1,747,831 2/1930 Hess 297-252 X 2,105,336 1/1938 smith 5 327 2,208,945 7/1940 Miner 5 327 x 2,529,350 11/1950 P682 5 327 2,802,220 8/1957 Locke 5 327 2,908,021 10/1959 Fulton 54499 3,188,662 6/1965 watson 54.327 3,230,557 1/1966 H616 5 327 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,499 5/1919 Austria.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

